Andre Heimgartner walks away from the crash. Picture: Ross Gibb
Andre Heimgartner says he is still battling whiplash and severe headaches but expects to be fully fit for next week’s Repco Supercars Championship event at Sandown.
The R&J Batteries ZB Commodore driver clouted Thomas Randle’s Ford Mustang when the Tickford Racing driver stalled at the head of the grid in Race 22 of the Repco Supercars Championship at the OTR SuperSprint.
Both drivers were taken to hospital for precautionary scans and while they escaped major injury, Heimgartner has confirmed that he is still feeling the effects.
“Mainly all good now,” said the Brad Jones Racing pilot during the latest round of the Cash Converters Supercars Eseries.
“I’ll be 100 percent by the time Sandown comes, but I’ve just been struggling with whiplash and a few other things.
“Even sitting here now, I’ve got a massive headache, and I’ve smashed a whole lot of Nurofen.
“Hopefully in the race, we’re able to stay concentrated, but overall doing pretty well, and shouldn’t be any hindrance come Sandown.”
According to Heimgartner, the impact was measured at 38 g.
Both he and Randle will be in spare cars at next week’s Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint, where Practice 1 starts in the early afternoon of Friday, August 19.
Neither would be the first to contest the event in some level of pain, given Shane van Gisbergen drove at the Melbourne circuit last year just a fortnight after breaking a collarbone and three ribs in a mountain biking accident.
He would go on to win all three races that March weekend, the first of which he started all the way back in 17th.
Keyword: Heimgartner still feeling whiplash after The Bend shunt